Academic report

History of Variety 

Harrison Snell 

Variety has been a key form of entertainment for hundreds of years and has been witnessed by countless people from all walks of life, but where did this great showcase of skill begin and what has brought it to the type of show we know and love today. 

Variety has had many forms through the years most notably the era of ENSA during the second world war. Wikipedia – Entertainments national service association, last edited on 11 November 2018, ENSA is the, Entertainments National Service Association; It was formed in world war 2 in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson. Its main aim was to provide the British Armed forces entertainment during wartime. Their first big performance was at RAF Hendon on 17 October 1939 in North London. Some of those on the bill for this performance are Adelaide Hall, The Western Brothers and Mantovani and Anglo-Italian composer/conductor. Dancer Vivian Hole was in the Netherlands travelling in a scenery truck when it drove over a German land mine killing her, this was the only fatality that ENSA suffered during the second world war. 

With the war in full swing back home, we began to see changes in our theatre, and this is explained by the wartime effort, and how many theatres closed. Brockett, O.  (1982) Modern Theatre. 1st edition. Printed in the USA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc. 

“With the coming of the war in 1939, the English theatre was soon at a virtual standstill. At the height of the German blitz only one theatre remained open in London. The Old Vic retreated to provinces, Donald Wolfit organized lunch-time programs, and a few others attempted to keep the theatre alive, but for the most part English theatrical life was almost completely disrupted” 

The art of sword swallowing originated from India over 4000 years ago; It began around 2000BC by Fakirs and shaman priests who developed the art, along with other dangerous religious practices. The encyclopedia definition of this art is wrong as it would in fact be more uncomfortable to walk out onto stage with a pre-inserted sheath. In 2008 Sword swallowers international association founded the annual world sword swallowers day. Sword swallowing- – https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/sword-swallowing/